emilygrace3196's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
copykat42's review against another edition
5.0
Call it a 4.5, or maybe a "5*"?
Is it everything i'd expect from literary fiction for grown-ups, no.
Is it everything i'm looking for in a YA classic, though? Yes. Thoughts on family and friends and romance, lots of humor, some philosophizing (but a fantastic combo, somehow, of both more upfront and less fraught than usual as it goes about it), a plot that rolls along and a flat-out amazing premise that hooked me immediately.
I may well read this one again someday, and i don't have much higher praise than that. :)
Is it everything i'd expect from literary fiction for grown-ups, no.
Is it everything i'm looking for in a YA classic, though? Yes. Thoughts on family and friends and romance, lots of humor, some philosophizing (but a fantastic combo, somehow, of both more upfront and less fraught than usual as it goes about it), a plot that rolls along and a flat-out amazing premise that hooked me immediately.
I may well read this one again someday, and i don't have much higher praise than that. :)
diogoafsimoes's review against another edition
3.0
Com uma escrita bastante simples e leve, a autora dá-nos uma visão daquilo que para ela será a vida depois da morte, fazendo-o de uma maneira deliciosa. Dei-me a desejar que fosse tal e qual como Gabrielle Zevin escreve.
Um livro ideal para todos os jovens que procuram algo leve e alegre para uma tarde de verão.
Um livro ideal para todos os jovens que procuram algo leve e alegre para uma tarde de verão.
mrsmonty503's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't know I would like this book but boy was I wrong! I am so happy that I've read this. This turned into a surprising great read for me.
It put the beginning and the end of life into perspective. It gave me different thoughts on the thought of afterlife and rebirth.
It put the beginning and the end of life into perspective. It gave me different thoughts on the thought of afterlife and rebirth.
veganlasagne's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I found Liz to be very unlikeable. Just a bit of a ungrateful, pompous brat. Very minimal character development for her too. The end did make me weepy though.
stormcloud82's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
leahhateshardbacks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Elsewhere is life after death, and 15 year old Liz wakes up there after being hit by a cab on Earth. We follow her as she adjusts to life after death, learning about the world of Elsewhere and encountering old family and new friends.
•••
I first read this book as a teenager after my friend died. I was really sad, I'd lost a lot of faith in life and was so desperate to find someone or something that would understand how I was feeling and show me how to cope. When I found out this book was about death I decided to give it a go. I don't exactly remember how I felt the first time reading it, but as an adult it's one of the books I recall enjoying as a child.
•••
This world is very beautiful. In Elsewhere you age backwards until you become a baby again, at which point you are sent down the River to be reborn on Earth - and the cycle continues. This is really lovely because you get family members who have different relationships than they did on Earth as their age differences vary (e.g. there's one scene where two little boys are playing catch together and it's not clear until one calls the other Dad that they're really father and son UGH I'm literally crying that's so beautiful). But as an adult I didn't totally love the relationship between Liz and Owen.
•••
It's not the book's fault but this was genuinely quite triggering for me because it reminded me how angry I was as a child at being sold a false reality about death. I wish this lovely world where you live after you die was true but I was old enough to know that it wasn't and didn't appreciate the fantasy. I think this would be a good book for a child whose old grandparent died or something but there is simply no way to make the death of a child a happy thing. I have learned my lesson though I am absolutely not going to read anything that reminds me of this time because it was unbearably depressing to revisit lmao p.s. If you are my friend and see this review please never mention it to me just pretend you haven't seen it lol I don't want to talk about it this started as catharsis but actually I think it was just a mistake BUT I am a dedicated reviewer!!
•••
I first read this book as a teenager after my friend died. I was really sad, I'd lost a lot of faith in life and was so desperate to find someone or something that would understand how I was feeling and show me how to cope. When I found out this book was about death I decided to give it a go. I don't exactly remember how I felt the first time reading it, but as an adult it's one of the books I recall enjoying as a child.
•••
This world is very beautiful. In Elsewhere you age backwards until you become a baby again, at which point you are sent down the River to be reborn on Earth - and the cycle continues. This is really lovely because you get family members who have different relationships than they did on Earth as their age differences vary (e.g. there's one scene where two little boys are playing catch together and it's not clear until one calls the other Dad that they're really father and son UGH I'm literally crying that's so beautiful). But as an adult I didn't totally love the relationship between Liz and Owen.
•••
It's not the book's fault but this was genuinely quite triggering for me because it reminded me how angry I was as a child at being sold a false reality about death. I wish this lovely world where you live after you die was true but I was old enough to know that it wasn't and didn't appreciate the fantasy. I think this would be a good book for a child whose old grandparent died or something but there is simply no way to make the death of a child a happy thing. I have learned my lesson though I am absolutely not going to read anything that reminds me of this time because it was unbearably depressing to revisit lmao p.s. If you are my friend and see this review please never mention it to me just pretend you haven't seen it lol I don't want to talk about it this started as catharsis but actually I think it was just a mistake BUT I am a dedicated reviewer!!
itsmytuberculosis's review against another edition
4.0
A book written in a strange point of few that comes to life despite being about dead people.